Flax-machine.



C. G. COOKE.Y

FLAX MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEc.13, 1906.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

SHEBT-SHEET 1.

FLAX MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13 1906.

Patented.Apr.6,1915

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C. G. COOKE.

FLAX MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED nEc. I3. 190e.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.,

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- @Q4/L i APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13, 1.906.

c. G. COOKE. `FLAx MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Ci G. COOKE.

FLAX MACHINE. l APPLlcATloN FILED DEc.13,19oa.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

8 SHEETS-'SHEET C. G. COOKE.

FLAX MACHINE. 4 APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13, 1906. I l 1,1 34,671 Patented Apr. 6, 1915. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

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I I m I Y* I I x Q' nl Q E I I Q Q I Inleulor @IQ O 0 O C. G. COOKE! FLAx MAcHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I3, 19965 Batented Apr. 6, 1915.,

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1. n

`II'IIIMWII C. G. COOKE.

FLAX MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 0m13.190s.

1 ,l 34,67 1.; Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

l 8 SHEETS-*SHEET 8.

is a side elevation of a part ofthe UNITED :srafrrs @Farrar carica CLAYTON G. COOKE, OF `NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGN OR, BY v'IVIIESN E ASSIGN MENTS, TO AMERICAN LINEN' FIB-RE COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.A

max-MACHINE.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Application led December 13, 1906. Serial N o. 347,644.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it 'known that I, CLAYTON G. COOKE, a`citizen ofthe United States, residing: in the city and county of New Haven, in the State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flax-Machines, whereof the following, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to machines for con-I tinuously and mechanically preparing flax ber from the straw.

The difliculties in producing a clean ber from ax straw by a continuous series of mechanical operations are numerous. One

.obstacle in the way of accomplishing the desired result is .the tenacity with which the hard bark of the dry ax straw naturally clings to the inclosed ber, and the fact that the smaller portions of the bark called shives become entangled inthe ber, even when their natural adherence to it is broken. Con` sequently, it is diilicult to remove them without injuring andwasting the ber. Another practical diilculty is in manipulating the material automaticallyv by machinery, and this diliculty arises from the fact that after the ber is partly .'cleaned, it is'difcult to release it from and to carry it to aseries of operating devices, because its loose .bers

tend to become entangled with the moving parts of the apparatus, and choke the same. l Thev object of this 4 come these and other diiculties, and to produce byl a continuous and automatic series of mechanical operations' a commercially clean flax or tow, by means of the several improvements-and combinations ofparts set 'forth and claimed hereinafter.

In the 'accompanying drawings, Figure 1 near the feeding end of it, Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation of the rest of the machine, partly .broken away. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of that portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. similar' section of that portion of the machine illustrated in' Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is aside elevation of the reverse side of the part of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 visa side elevation of the reverse side vof the part ofthe machineshown in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is invention is to oven' upper side' of the machine,

1. Fig. 4&5 a-

va transverse vertiealsection of the heckling rolls and stripping cylinders.`

. of said last named rolls. Fig. 12 is an elevaratentea Apr. e, 1915.

tlon of one of the pairs of breaker rolls, and j Fig. 12a, is a transverse vertical section through one of the spring bearings.

-Like letters of reference indicate similar' parts in all the drawings.

Referring to the drawings for a more' particular description, the parts designated by the letters A and A represent the bed and standard of the machine, vand B a portion of the -feed tray. A, near thefeed tray B, is a pair of cylindrical feed'rollers 1 (Fig. 3). feed rollers is` a rpair of straight fluted `breaker rolls 2, (Fig. 12) and beyond the breaker rolls are two pairs 3 3 of spirally fluted breaker vrolls.

4 designates a supplemental pair of straight luted breaker rolls, and 10, thel tables or trays between' the variousabove named airs of rolls. The shaft 50 of the upper'o journaled vin a as shown more particularly in Fig. 12a. In

taininga spring 54, adapted to bear on the journal box 51. `A screw '55 is provided to vary the tension of the spring 54. By this means, the upper roll of each pair of breaker and feed rolls is capable of a limited movement to allow for the varying thicknesses of" straw assing between the rolls and to avoid injury to the machine from hard substances which are 'sometimes found in the straw.

The rolls. 1, A2, l3 and 4 are driven from a vertical shaft 6, by means of a bevel gear v 5 (Fig. 5) carried on the shaft'of the lower of the' pair of rolls 2. As shown in Fig. 1, the shaft of the roll2 is provided on the other side of the machine with a. pinion 7, which meshes with a pinion 56 on the shaft of thel Near the' Mounted on the bed each of said pairs of rolls is journal box 51, having al vertical sliding movement in a bearing 52, v

upper of the pair of rolls 2. The pinion 7 I R gearing isso arranged that the second heckling roll is driven faster than the first heck-' meshes also with gears 8l adapted to engage pinions 57 on the shafts of the lower-rolls of the airs 1 and 3, which pinions 57 in turn drive pinions 58 on the shafts ofthe upper' of the pairs of rolls 1 and 3. By means of gearing 59 and pinions 60 and 61, the other rolls 3 are rotated. A further gear 62 and pinions 63 and 64 transmit the' rotary movement of the shaft 6 to the rollers ion 14, which meshes with a gear 67, drivenl by the pinion 63 above referred to. rllhe ling roll. Beyond the second heckling roll 11 and stripping 'cylinder l12 lis located a brush roll 15 and a fine liuted kneading roll 16, which latter roll has three similar kneading rolls 17, 17, 172 (of smaller diameter)v engaged therewith, and Amounted in spring bearings 68 similar to those above described. The rolls 15 and 16 are driven by a bevel gear 69 on the shaft of roll 16, from vertical shaft 18 operated by the main shaft 65 (Fig. 5).- On the opposite end of the shaft` of the roll 16 is mounted a pinion 19 (Fig. 1))

. meshing with a suitable gear 70 driving a l'llhe lower of the the end of the shaft of roll 15. 9` parallel with and in close the -roll A172 has a number of pinion 71 on An air vpipe proximity to small perfo-rations 72 downward blast of air onl the roll 172. 20 designates another pair ofiine iluted kneading rolls,(Fig. 3') and 21 a ,pair of cylindrical gripping rolls, provided with rubber, or other suitableelastic gripping surfaces, 73. air of -rolls 20 lcarries on its shaft a pinicn 4,.meshing with gear 75, driven by the pinion 191.. 0n the shaft of the lwer `of the pair of rolls -21 is another pinion 7 6,- also meshing with the gearing 75. The uppermosty of` the rolls 20 and 21 are carried in spring bearings7 7 similar to'those described.

As shown in Fig. 4, a roll 22 is provided with comb like teeth 79, and a brush roll 23 revolves above and in contact therewith. A suction box 24 is provided with a narrow mouth 80, parallel with and in close proximity withthe last named rolls. A carding roll 25 is located beneath the suction box 24, and its shaft is driven from a shaft 26 through the bevel gearing 81 (Fig. 6). 0n the other side of the shaft of the roll 25 is a pinion 82, meshing with a pinion 83 on the adapted -to direct a rolls. The hollow `rolls 11, as shown in ideama shaft of roll 22. Roll 23- is driven by a pinion e4, meshing .with th inion on the shaft of roll 22 (Fig. 2). 27 designates a large carding roll driven by `bevel gearing 85 from shaft 28, and 29 designates a brush or transfer roll driven by bevel gearing 86 from shaft 30. A smaller carding roll 31 revolves in contact with a brush roll 29, and another cardingroll 32 revolving in connection with roll 31 is driven by bevel gearing 87 from shaft l33 (Fig. 6). Shafts 26, 28, 30 and 33 are all operatedfrom the main shaft 88. r1`he roll 31 is driven from a pinion 34 on the shaft of roll 32, as shown in Fig. 2, meshing with thepinion 90 on the shaft of roll 31. The shafts of oarding rolls 27, 31'and32, and of the brush roll 29 are shown adjustable in the bed A of the machine.A r1`he shaft 78 of the carding roll 27 has bearings in journal boxes 89 which fit inlongitudinal slots in the bed, so that the journal boxes and shaft may be movedr 1ongitudinally toward or away from roll 25. Screws 91 hold the journal boxes in their adjusted position. The shaft 92 of the brush 'l roll 29 similarly bears in adjustable journal boxes 93 held in place by screws 94, and the shaft 95 of the small carding roll 31 bears in vjournal'boxes 96 slidably mounted in vertiwith the roll 32. r1he doEer comb 35 is shown driven by a belt 34a fromv suitable shafting (not shown), and may be of any well known construction.

As shown moreparticularly in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the heckling rolls 11 consist of cylinders 36, armed with teeth 37, projecting radially fromthecylindrical surfaces of the stripping cylinders 12 are provided with elongated apertures 38 corresponding in number and location to the teeth 37 of` the heckling rolls 11, respectively. Illlhe cylinders 12 are rotatably mounted in circular bearings 39 in the end boxes 40; and said bearings are arranged eccentrically to the shafts 41 of the heckling Figs. 7 and 9, in such wise that the teeth of the heckling rolls project through' the apertures 38 for varying distances, except at and about the major radius of the eccentric, where they are substantially Hush with the outside surface of the cylinders 12. 1t will be understood that the teeth 37 and the corresponding apertures 38 in the cylinders 12 are distributed all over theoperating surface of the rolls and. cylinder, respectively, although indily in Fig. 8.

cated in part on l 1n Figs. 10 and 11, the arrangement of spiral fluting42 in the rolls 3 is shown, and the manner in which said spiral flutes mesh into each other, and shear across the straws.

The machine comprises several groups of apparatus for performing in succession difare carried on simultaneously.

First, the operation of breaking the stra/.10.*The straw is table B longitudinally, through the pair 'of smooth feed rollers 1 which push the straw into the first set of fluted breaker rolls 2, whose operation is to crimp or flute Ithe straw, and break the outer bark by bending it sharply, as well as to pass it along to the spirally fluted pairs of breaker rolls 8. Each pair of spirally fiuted breaker rolls 3 1s composed of one right hand and onelefthand spirally flutedroll meshingftogether,

as shown more particularly in Fig. 1l, so as' to develop a shearing action, which makes it impossible for the flutes of said rolls to mesh into the crimps already formed in the straw by the 'straight fluted rolls 2, and insures that the, straw shall be broken on different lines. The' `spiral iuted rolls 3 also' tend to twist the straw somewhat, and'thus increase the effectiveness of the next succeeding set of straight fluted breaker rolls et. The operation of the spiral breaker -rolls 3 tends, in practice, to turn the straw to one side of the machine, and therefore the spiral breaker rolls composing thesecond set are turned end for end, so that the shearing action moves from rightto' left on one set and from leftto right onvthe other, partly to bring the straw back again into line, and partly to make sure thai-,the crimping ac-` tion of the two pairs of rolls will be on new lines and at a different angle. From the second pairof spiral uted breaker rolls 3, the straw passesv throughthe fourth set of breaker rolls 4, whose flutes are smaller and closer together than those of the other rolls, so that these again crimp and break the bark of the straw on new-lines. The object of this arrangement of breaker rolls is that each successive set' of breaker rolls :shall break the bark of the straw on new lines, and at a different angle from thepreceding one. The eiiciencv of the machine depends largely upon the thoroughness with which the bark of the strawis broken into small pieces upon numerous lines of fracture.

Some of the pieces of the bark fall off in this operation of breaking, and others cling to the fibers. It is important that precaution should be taken against injuring the interior berby straining .or breaking. it

gearing already described,

face speed than the fedfrom the` feed` up on the heckling rolls,

.and the conjoint effect vling yIn this Way,

4in the fiber as to lThey also tend to during the operation ofcrimping the straw; this is provided lfor through the system of which is so constructed that breaker rolls is driven at slightly less sur` one which precedes it in point of operation. l

Second, the operation of heckling the stmwf-Tbe cortex of the straw being thoroughly broken, andthe j broken pieces worked loose from the ber by the successive operations of the flutes; the material is now taken directly from the rolls 4 by the projecting teeth of the first hecklingl roll 11. The second heckling roll l1 rotates faster than the first roll, which is driven at a' higher rate of surface speed than the rolls 4.` By this means, the teeth 37 pass between the fibers of the material and comb through them like a heckle, and at the same time,carry the fibers along as fast as'the rolls 4 will permit them to come through. In -this operation, the yfiber is loosenedup, and the material loses all the stiffness and individuality of the straws, and exhibits a tendency to tangle in the moving parts of the machine.` Some `positive stripping device is required to prevent the loose fibers from winding themselves and this is supplied by the perforated cylinders l2 rotatably mounted in circular bearings, eccentric to the shafts of the heckling rolls 11. ,The cylinders are caused teeth 37 of the heckling rolls, projecting through the apertures 38 in the cylinders, of the cylinders and rolls is that as the teeth 37 of the first roll l1 approach the teeth of the secondy heckroll 11, the former are gradually drawn in through the apertures 38 of the cylinder l2 untiltheir points, which are preferably bent back, as shown in Fig. 7, are flush with the surface of thecylinder. -the cylinder l2 operates to strip the loose massof fiber off from the .each successive set of the to rotate by the I teeth of roll l1, and leaves it free to be caught up by the projecting teeth of the neXt roll 11, which operates in the same Way, being'driven at a higher surface speed, so that its teeth heckle and comb throu h the fiber, until they approach the brush fiber from the teeth of the roll and leaves it free to be caught up by the brush roll 15, to be operated on by the neXt succeeding devices. rolls is to remove the shives or fragments of straw bark, except those pieces which are so small and so thoroughly entangled escape their operation. straighten out the fiber and bring it into the condition of a loose mass, which is very difficult to handle, and

ory transfer roll l5, when the stripping cylinder The operation of these heckling rolls by some requires to .be

v the brush or transfer roll, and being in contangled shives, and in some tact therewith takes the ber off from the brush. Moreover, the rotation of the main kneading or gripping'Z roll 16 (and its associated smaller rolls 1 17, 17 2) at a higher speed than the second heckling roll 11 materially increases thelheckling eect, masmuch as the bers lengaged by the gripping rolls and floating on the rotary transfer brush 13` will be forcibly pulled through the more slowly rotating teeth of the second heckling roll. The heckling efect 1s still further augmented by the rotation of thel different heckling devices at different speeds, because ber carried by the teeth of one device will be scratched through or heckled by the teeth of the other device.

Third, the operation of eompactz'ng the fiber into a fleece and cleaning t from flue and tangled shz'nesr-This operation 1s begun in the kneading rolls 16, 17, 17, 17?. These kneading rolls are straight uted rolls of much ner mesh than the breaker rolls, and they knead outto the surface the endegree compact the ber into a fleece.l As the fleece issues from the system of kneading rolls, the free ends of its loose ber still tend to wind themselves up on the roll 172, and 1n part to lprevent this, and in part to wmnow away loose fragments of shives, the fleece is subjected to a downward blast of a1r directed against the roll 172 from the apertures in -pipe 9, which is connected with a suitable source of compressed air for that purpose (not shown).

For the purposes described, l do not l1m1t myself to the use of an airblast in "connection with the roll 172, as the same may be used in connection with other moving parts to prevent the loose ber from becomlng entangled therein, and to dlrect said bers into the desired path. From the kneading rolls 16 and172, the fleece passes through another set of ne fluted rolls 20, which are driven at va less surface speed and further compact it,

and thence between the rubber faced gripping rolls 21. As the elastic compactmg rolls are in substantial contact with the corresponding rolls and as said comne fluted kneading rolls it is and it runs close against the other, and

the suction subjected to the combined operiasae'ri l their adj acent perlpheries travel in the same 1n overlapping contact with each driven -at a higher surface speed .than the gripping rollsv 21, so that they comb and brush though the held by the gripping rolls for that purpose, straightening it and cleaningv out'the ne fragments of shives which are drawn into box 2l to prevent them from falling back on the fleece, and becoming again entangled therein, during the subsequent carding operations. rlllh'e brush roll 23 rotates at a slightly greater surface speed than the combing roll 22 and the combined operation of the comb and lbrush rolls 22 and 28 is not only to clean and straighten the ber, but while doing so,'the brush roll 23, which revolves at about the same surface speed as the comb roll 22, brushes the fleece compactly on the comb roll and leaves it in the proper condition for carding. The fleece is carried by the comb roll 22 and carded olf on the carding roll 25, which revolves at a higher rate of surface speed than roll 22, and from roll 25 it is carried to and carded oon the carding roll 27, revolving direction,

at a still higher rate of surface speed. ln'

order to take the fleece 0E from the comb roll and prevent it from winding up thereon, the roll 25, is provided with carding cloth having long and elastic teeth. lt will be observed that after leaving the breaker rolls 4, the material is subjected to a practically continuous drawing operation, passing overY or between rotating surfaces having successively faster surface motion up to and including carding roll/ 27. lt is now desirable to transfer the eece to .carding rolls of less peripheral speed before taking it o from the machine; and a second brush or transfer roll 29 moving in the same direction at the point of peripheral contact with carding roll 27, and at substantially the same or greater rate of surface speed is provided for that purpose, which takes the fleece from carding roll 27. rllhe next succeeding roll '31 is provided with carding cloth, the teeth of which incline backward as it rotates in the direction ofthe arrow (See Fig. 4:), and as it has a comparatively slower surface speed than the brush roll 29, the ber is caught by the teeth of the carding roll at the point of contact of the two rolls. From carding roll 31 it is in turn carded o on to the carding roll 32, which has a comparatively slower surface speed than carding roll 3 1, and has the teeth of its carding `cloth also inclined backward (Fig. 4;). The two rolls 31 and32 move in the same direction at the point of peripheral contact and the ber on the roll 31 is caught by the more slowly moving teeth of the cardin'g roll 32 and drawn 0E .the backfleece, as it is` rt .23, revolving in opposite directions so that wardly projecting teeth of the carding roll 31. The flax then removed from the machine by the doffer comb 35,V operating in the manner usual in cotton machinery.

From theforegoing description it will be apparent that the new result obtained by lthe machine may be thus characterized:

Continuous conveyance of an uninterrupted web of' fibrous material, preliminary mechanical disintegration of the woody portion or shive by successive corrugations of the web, avoidance in the meantime of rupturing tension on the fiber, succeeding acceleration of the velocity of the web accompanied by removal of the disintegrated shive,

succeeding further disintegration by mej vthe material free from tension during the operation of the shive breaking means; means are provided, succeeding the breaking means in operation on the material, to

, rolls;

accelerate thevadvance of the band or web and draw out the fibrous component thereof; and during the drawing operation just mentioned the previously broken shive is eliminated from the fiber,the band or web being suitably supported during its drawing, after which the speed of the web is retarded, and the cleaned fiber finally col lected.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patl. In a flax machine, the combination with' a plurality of pairs of spirally fluted breaker rolls, the flutes of the Vsucceeding pair beingl arranged at a different angle from the flutes of the preceding pair, and the succeeding pair having a relatively less surface speed than lthe preceding pair; of means acting upon the broken straw to-separate the shivcs from'the fiber, and driving mecha.- nism for rotating said rolls continuously in one direction, substantially as and for'the purposes described.

2. In a fiax machine, the combination with a pair of spirally iiuted breaker rolls; of a succeeding pair of straight fluted breaker and a heckling roll adapted to act upon 4the `flaxl after said .straight fluted breaker rolls, substantially as and for the purposes described. ,u

3. In a flax-machine, the combination with a pair of straight .fiuted breaker rolls; of an auxiliary pair of straight fiut'ed breaker rolls; and l two pairs of spirally fluted breaker rolls arranged between said straight fluted breaker rolls, the flutes of one pair of spirally fluted rolls being arranged at a different angle from the flutes of the other pair, all arranged so that the material will be successively acted upon in a continuous movement from one part to the other, sub.-A

stantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a flax machine, the combination with breaking rolls; of heckling devices, adjacent to and operating at a greater speed than said 4breaking rolls, for heckling the straw held by said rolls, means for stripping the heckled fiber from the teeth of said heckling devices; means .for removing the heckled fiber from said stripping devices comprising a roll having a yroughened surface, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. In a flax machine, the combination with i a pair of fluted breaker rolls; of a heckling device; means for stripping the heckled fiber j from the teeth thereof; a second pair Vof rolls fand a brush roll arranged in close association with said stripping device for carrying y the fiber from the latter to said second pair of rolls, substantially as and for the purposes described. l v

6. In a Aflax machine,'the combination with means for breaking the straw, and means for hecklingv the broken straw, of means for stripping the fiber lfrom the heckling means,

and a rotary transfer-brush in close 'proxim-O sof ityto said stripping means for removing the u heckled fiber from the latter and -advancing the same in the direction of feed; substantially as described. y 4 g l 7 In a flax machine, the combination with a pair of fluted breaker rolls, of a pair, of fluted rollspreceding said breaker rolls, to

feed :fthe straw to the latter atv a speed `greater than the yperipheral speed of said breaker rolls, and a heckling device t0 engage the fiber of- :the straw as it emerges.

from said breaker rolls; 'substantially asdescribed.

8. Inl a flax' machine, the combination with a pairof breaker rolls, of a pair of rolls preceding said breaker rolls, to feed the straw to thelatter at a speed greaterthan A' the peripheral speed of said breaker rolls, and heckling means to engage the fiber of the straw as'it/emerges from said breaker rolls, /operating at a speed greater than the peripheral speed of said breaker rolls; sub.

stantial-ly as described.

9. In a flax machine, the combination with "apairof breaker rolls having projections thereon constructed to grip and bend the straw; of a pair of rolls preceding said breaker rolls a'dalpted'to feed the straw to said breaker rolls at a s eed greater than the peripheral speed o said rolls," and toothed rolls adapted to engage the ber of tinuously breaking the strawupon successive different lines; of heckling rolls provided with means for continuously stripping the ber from the teeth thereof; devices for compacting theheckled ber into a eece; and means intermediate between said heckling and compacting devices for transferring the heckled ber from the former to `the latter, substantially as and for the purposes described.

11. In a ax machine, the combination with breaker rolls and heckling devices, and a pair of gripping rolls; of a coinb roll and a brush roll arranged parallel with said gripping rolls and near the delivery side thereof, said comb and brush rolls mounted in overlapping peripheral contact with each other, substantially as andforthe purposes described.

12. lln a flax machine, the combination with heckling means and stripping means, of movable brushing means for brushing the heckled ber from said stripping means, said brushing means supporting the ber from beneath and operating at a. greater speed than said heckling means; substantially as described.

13. In a flax machine, the combination with heckling means and kneading means following the heckling means, of means for brushing and thereby cleaning the heckled ber issuing from said heckling means, and for simultaneously advancing such ber fromsaid heckling means to said kneading means; .substantially as described.

14. In a )aX machine, the combination with breaker devices; of heckling devices; combing devices; carding devices, and asso-A ciated means whereb the ber is supported from beneath throughout its travel from one to the otherof said devices and maintained in constant movement, substantially for the purposes described. n y

15. ln a flax machine, the combination with heckling instrumentality; of combing' and brushing rolls; a series of carding rolls;

travel from said combing and brushing rolls the purposes described.

means for stripping the material from the last of said carding rolls; andl associated mea-ns whereby the ber is continuously supported from beneath throughout its to said stripping means and maintained' in constant movement, substantially as and for 16. ln a ax machine, the combination with heckling means, and' a pair of rol-ls following said heckling means, of a'rotary as and device interposed between said heckling means and said rolls and arranged to support the ber from beneath substantially throughout the ydistance'` between said heckling means and said rolls, andto feed the ber into the bite of said rolls; substantially as described.

17. y ln a flax machine, the combination with breaking rolls; vof heckling devices operating upon the broken'straw as it emerges from said breaker rolls; kneading rolls; two carding rolls revolving at different cperipheral speeds; a transverse roll having a brushlike surface arranged intermediate said carding rolls and revolving in contact therewith, all operatively associated together and so arranged that the material will be successively acted upon in a continuous movement through the machine, substantially as and for 'the purposes described.

18. In a ax machine, the combination with a plurality of breaker rolls adapted to break and bend the. straw, the succeeding ity and the compacting rolls, and between Vthe compacting rolls and the'carding rolls for supporting the material from one ito the other of the said parts, and maintaining a. continuous feed, substantially as and for the purposes described.

19. lln a aX machine, the combination of means to conduct continuously a band or web of the material through the several stages of cleaning, means to which the band of material is .rst introduced -to break the -shive components of the material, means to sustain the. brous component free from tension during the operation of said shivep breaking-means, Ikfmeans succeeding said breaking-means in operation ron the material, to accelerate the advance of the band or web and drawout the fibrous component thereof, and means to eliminate the previously broken shive from the ber during the drawing; substantially as described.

20. ln'a flax machine, the combination with hecklingmeans, and a pair of rolls fol# lowing said heckling means, of a movable transfer device interposed between said heckling means and saidvrolls and arranged to support the ber from beneath substantially throughout the distance between said heckling means and.` said rolls, and to feed the ber into thebite of said rolls, said rolls operating at a higherV speed than said heckm y* ling means, and said transfer device operating at a lower speed than said rolls; substantially as described.

21. In a fiax machine, the combination with a series of preliminary fluted-breaker rolls; of supplementary fluted breaker rolls; a heckling roll adapted to engage the flax from the under side after it comes from the preliminary breaker rolls; and means for transferring it from the heckling roll to the supplementary breaking rolls, substantially as and for the purposes described.

22. In a fiax machine, the combination of heckling means, movable means for stripping the fiber from said heckling means, a pair of rolls spaced horizontally from said heckling means and following the latter, and a transfer device interposed between said stripping means and said rolls and in close proximity to said means and said rolls, adapted to support they fiber from beneath and carry it in an approximately horizontal direction from said stripping means into the bite of said rolls; substantially as described.

23. In a flax machine, the combination with means for preparing the flax straw for combing and other subsequent treatment consisting of a plurality of Vpairs of rolls having projections thereon constructed to bend and break the straw as it passes `between the rolls of each pair to loosen the shives from the fiber, each succeeding pair of rollshaving a relatively less peripheral speed than the preceding pair to prevent the straining of theber; and heckling instrumentality acting upon the straw as it emerges from the last pair of breaker rolls toseparate the shives from the fiber, substantially as andfor the purposes described.

24. In a flax machine, the combination with means for breaking the straw, of means to heckle the broken straw, means to knead the heckled fiber, means to clean and compact the kneaded fiber, means to card the cleaned fiber, means to support the fiber' from beneath and advance it from the heckling means to the kneading means, and means to support the fiber from'beneatli and advance it from the kneading means to the compactingand cleaning means, the

carding means receiving Vthe fiber directly from the compacting and cleaning means; substantially as described. y

25. In a flax machine, the combination with a heckling device; of a compacting device; a carding device; and instrumentalitiesl `interposed between each of said devices actingto support the fiber and maintain a continuity of movement between the devices, substantially as and for the purposes described.

26. In a flax machine, the combination with a bearing; of a cylinder loosely mounted k)therein having slots elongated in the lling device; and a brush between said heck` plane of revolution; a rotary membermounted eccentrically withinsaidfcylinder; teeth rigidly mounted onv said rotary member projecting through said slots on the minor' axis of the eccentric and actuating said cylinder 'upon the rotation of said pmembery, land 70 means for rotating saiddmember, substantially as and for the ,purposes described.l l 2,7. In a flax machine, the lcombination with a bearing; of a cylinder loosely mounted therein j having slotsy elongated in the plane of revolution; a shaft eccezntrically mounted `within saidl bearing; a.: rotary ymember mounted thereon; teeth vrigidly mounted onv ysaid rotary, member projecting through said slotsiipon the minor` axis `of -the eccentric and actuating said cylinder upon the y'rotation 'of ,said member; and means for rotating saidv shaft, substantially as vand for the lpurposes described. I Y f 28. In -a flax 'machina fthe Acombinatiolni's with a plurality offluted breaker rolls; of *Y* ay device for heckling the broken strawas it emerges from said breaker ;rolls;',rotary means forst/rippingv the heckl'ed fiber from lthe teeth of the'heckling device ;1 and ysupple- 90 -mentary 'fiuted' breaker rolls operating on the fiber after it is stripped` from 4thekhe'ckling device, substantially yas and for the purposes described. y .I

29. In' a fiax machine, the combination 95 Vwith oppositely disposed supports, each `hav- `inga plurality of circular flanges; `cylinders loosely mounted within lsaid flanges ,rotary members eccentrically mounted within'said cylinders; and teethmountedfon said'rotlary 100 lmembers and adapted to project through apertures inl said cylinders, substantially and vfor the purposes described. p

30. In a flax machine, ythe combinationv with a pair ofbreaker rolls having straight flutes thereon constructed to grip and bend the straw; of a pair of breaker rolls having 'spiral flutes thereon preCedingsaid straight fluted breaker rolls" adapted to feedl` the` straw to said straight breaker rolls at 'a 110 speed greater than thez peripheral speed of -said Straight'breaker rolls; and rolls adapt-` ed to removethe shives from the fiber as it emerges from the straight breaker rolls, u

traveling at a greater peripheral speed than g, Q

said breaker rolls,"subs'tantially.as'and for the purposes described. i v, 31. Ina flax' 'machine,`the combination'of means to `break thel straw, means to heckle, l L

the broken Straw, means' to brush the headed 120 y yliber and simultaneously advance the same, anda supplementary breaking means which receives the fiber directl'yffrom vsaid* last named means; substantiallyas described.

32. In a flax machine, the ,combination with a device for heckling ythe 'strawyof fluted kneading lrolls following said'hec'kling device and kneading rolls for brushing the fiber and supporting it from said heckling device to said kneading rolls, substantially as and for. the purposes described.

33. Ina flaX machine, the combination with a` device for heckling the straw; of fluted breaker rolls; and a transfer brush arranged between said heckling device and breaker rolls, said transfer brush operating at a greater speed than said heckling device and less speed than said breaker rolls, substantially as and for the purposes described. 34. In a iiaX machine, the combination with a device for heckling the straw; of means vfor stripping the heckled straw from said heckling device; breaker rolls; and a transfer roll arranged between said stripping device and breaker rolls and in close association with both, substantially as and for the purposes described.

35. Ina flairmachine, the combination with a support; of a driving shaft mounted en said support; a device for heckling the straw; fluted breaker rolls; a transfer roll arranged between said heckling device and breaker rolls to convey the heckled straw from said device `vto said rolls, all mounted on said support and driven by said shaft to effect a continuous movement of the material through the machine, substantially as and for the purposes described.

36. In a flax machine, the combination with heckling instrumentality; of feed rolls; devices arranged in operative relation with said lfeed rolls for simultaneously combing and brushing the material while vheld by said feed rolls; and means for causing a current of air to act upon the material while being combed and brushed, substantially as and for the purposes described.

37. In a iax machine, the combination with heckling instrumentality; fof feed rolls devices arranged in operative relation to said feed rolls for simultaneously combing and brushing the material while held by said feed rolls; and a suction chamber hav-- ing an inlet arranged at a pointbetween the.

brushing and combing devices, substantially as and for the purposes described. 38. In a `flax machine, the combination with heckling instrumentality; of feed rolls;

lcombing and brushing rolls operatively associated and arranged to receive the material from said feed rolls; and a carding roll, the combing and brushing rolls revolving at a greater vspeed than said feed rolls, and

said carding roll revolvingat a greater speed than said combing and brushing rolls; alli of said rolls being-in close relation and so larranged that the material will be continuously supported by a roll in its movement, substantially as and Hfor the purposes described. y 39. In av flaxfmachine, the combination with means to heckle the straw, of means ni-amera for breaking or kneading the heckled straw, a compacting device following said last named means, and a pair of fluted rolls inv terposed between said breaking or kneading carding roll, substantially as and for the purposes described. 41.v In a ax machine, the combination with heckling instrumentality; of kneading rolls; cleaning devices; a 'carding roll; an auxiliary carding roll; and -a transfer roll having a roughened surface arranged to contact with both of saidcarding rolls; all operatively associated together and so ar ranged that the material will be successively acted upon in -a continuous movement through the machine, substantially' as and for the purposes described. l

`F42. In a flax machine, the combination with heckling instrumentality; of a kneading roll; a relatively small kneading roll meshing` with said first mentioned roll; means for transferring the material from the. heckling instrumentality to said kneading rolls; and an air pipe parallel with and in proximity to said small kneading'roll arranged to directa downward current of air on said roll, substantially as and for the purposes described.

43. In a flax machine; the combination with mechanism for separating the shives from the fiber; of a plurality of cardingv rolls; the succeeding roll operating at a lower speed than the preceding roll and a transfer brush between'said cardingrolls operating ata greater surface speed than the direction of rotation of said carding` rolls; substantially as described.

45. In a iiaX machine, the combination with means for heckling the straw, of movable. means for stripping the fiber from said heckling means, a pair of kneading rolls following said stripping means, a transfer device interposedl between said stripping -means and said kneading means and varrangedto carry thefiber fromA said stripping means into the bite of said rolls, means for compacting the ber issumg from said kneading rolls, and a pair of rolls in close proximity to said compacting means and interposed between the latter and said kneading rolls; substantially as described.

46. In a flax machine, the combination with a pair of spirally fluted breaking rolls,

and a heckling device following said break-f ing rolls, of a pair of straight fluted breaking rolls interposed between said spirally fluted breaking rolls and said heckling device; substantially as described.

47. In a flax machine, the combination with a pair of spirally fluted breaking rolls and a heckling device following said breaking rolls, of a pair of straight fluted breakingrolls interposed between said spirally fluted rolls and heckling device, and operating at a lower speed than said spirally fluted rolls and said heckling device; substantially as described.

48. In a flax machine, the combination of a pair of straight fluted breaking rolls, a

heckling device adapted to act on the straw emerging from said breaking rolls, and a plurality of spirally fluted breaking rolls which act on the fiber prior to said straight fiuted rolls, said breaking rolls operating at successively decreasing speeds in the direction of Lfeed; substantially as described.

49. In a flax machine, the combination with heckling instrumentality; of means for stripping the heckled straw from said heckling device; kneading rolls; a transfer roll arranged to transfer the ber after it is stripped from the heckling instrumentality to said kneading rolls; and means for cleaning the fiber after it comes from said kneading rolls, substantially as and for the purposes described.

50. In a flax machine, the combinationwith heckling instrumentality; of kneading rolls; a rapidly rotating carding roll; an auxiliary carding roll rotating at a less surface speed than the rst mentioned carding roll and having its teeth inclined backward; and a brush roll arranged in contact with both carding rolls and having 'a greater surface speed than said auxiliary carding roll, substantially as and for the purposes described.

51. In a flax machine, the combination with breaker rolls and heckling devices, and a pair of gripping rolls; of a comb and a brush roll arranged parallel with said grippin rolls and mounted in overlapping perip eral'contact with each other to act on p opposite sides of the same portion of the fiber; and carding rolls adapted to receive the material from said comb and brush rolls, substantially as and for the purposes described.

52. In a flax machine, the combination 'f with heckling instrumentality; of breaker rolls; a combing roll arranged adjacent to and adapted to receive the material from thebreaker rolls, and means for brushing'that portion of the fiber being combed, substantially vasand for the purposes described.

upon the same portionl of liber from opposite sides, substantially as and for the purposes described.

54:. In a flax machine, the combination with heckling and kneading devices respectively; of carding rolls; and means' interposed between the heckler and carding rolls, including a brush roll and a comb roll, one of said rolls constituting a support for the material While acted upon by the other,sub stantially as and for the purposes described.

55. In a flax machine, the combination with` heckling and kneading devices respectively; rolls )having proyections thereon adapted to grip the flax; and a pair of compacting rolls rotating in close proximity to said first mentioned rolls to receive the flax therefrom, substantially as and for the purposes described.

56. Inma flax machine, the combination with heckling instrumentality; rolls having projections thereon adapted to grip the flax; a pair-of rolls rotating in close proximity to said first mentioned rolls to receive the iax therefrom and yieldingly grip the same, sub.

. tatable in the same direction as the corresponding kneading rolls, and in substantial contact with the latter; substantially as described.

58. In a flax machine, the combination of a pairof line fluted kneading rolls and a pair of rubber coated compacting rolls following said kneading rolls, but in substantial contact with the same to .prevent the winding of the stock about said kneading rolls; substantially as described.

i 59. In a flax machine, the combination of means to break the straw along a plurality of different lines withoutsubjecting-the ber to tension, means for extending or drawing the web, means for clearing the web of the shives, and collecting the cleaned fiber, and means to support the web in a continuous motion through the machine; substantially as described.

60. In a flax machine, the combination of means to break the straw, gripping means following. the breaking means, vseparate heckling devices successively arranged in the ping means, the last heckling device operating at a higher speed than the rst; substantially as described.

6l., lin a dan machine, the combination of means to break the straw, gripping means following said breaking means, a plurality of heckling devices successively arranged in thel direction of eed and interposed between said breaking means and said gripping means, and a movable transfer device interposed between the last heckling device and said gripping means, the last heckling device operating at a higher speed than the rst, but at a lower speed than said gripping means, and said transiter device operating at a lower speed than said gripping means; substantially as described.

62. ln a dan machine, the combination of a heckling device, gripping means traveling at a greater rate of speed, succeeding said heckling device, and an intermediate carrying device for supporting the flax from beneath and transferring it from the heclrling deviceyto said gripping means without tearmanera ing or pulling the dan; substantially as described.

68. lin a lian machine, the combination with a rotary heckling roll of a rotary device or stripping the ber from said roll and means for simultaneously brushing the ber stripped from the heckling means and advancing the ber in the direction oi" feed; substantially as described.,

6a. ln a flax machine, the combination.

with heckling means and gripping means,

of a movable stripper for stripping the fiber from said heckling means, and a rotary transfer brush for brushing and supporting the iiber stripped from said heckling means and transferring such fiber to said gripping means; substantially as described.

ln witness whereof, ll have hereunto set my hand on the 12th day of December, 1906.

TWitnesses:

D/l.. Omvn WILLIAMS, SAMUEL H. lrsrrnn, 

